https://imahealth.substack.com/p/alpha-gal-syndrome-when-a-tick-bite? (Go here for article and video)
Alpha-Gal Syndrome: When a Tick Bite Leads to a Red Meat Allergy
Dr. Ryan Cole joins The National News Desk to explain alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-borne condition that can trigger a sudden allergy to red meat.
May 21, 2026
IMA Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs Dr. Ryan Cole joined The National News Desk to break down alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne condition that can trigger a sudden allergy to red meat. Dr. Cole explains how the lone star tick transfers a sugar molecule called alpha-1,3-galactose into the bloodstream, which can cause the body to develop an immune reaction to beef, pork, lamb, and other mammalian meats.
The conversation covers why symptoms often appear hours after eating, how repeated tick bites can intensify the reaction, and why the condition is becoming more common as the lone star tick expands its range across the United States. Dr. Cole notes that up to two-thirds of patients see improvement over time, and walks through practical prevention steps for anyone spending time outdoors this season.
Check out these related resources from IMA below, followed by the full segment transcript.
- Course: Whole Body Health Episode 24: Hyperthermia Treatment For Lyme Disease
- Webinar: Lyme Treatment Explained: Co-infections and Complex Cases
- Webinar: Diagnosing Lyme Disease
- Post: Beating Lyme Disease with Hyperthermia Treatment: Sophia’s Story
- Webinar: Lyme Disease: The Hidden Battle with Co-Infections
My comment after the article on AGS and the fact the tick is not the sole perp:
Researchers admit they don’t understand the mechanism of action and ticks are not the sole perp, but the perfect scapegoat. A 2009 Australian paper concludes out of 25 patients, only one reported a tick bite 6 months after the onset of meat allergy. One in 5 in the U.S. reported no tick bite at all. In Switzerland, only 1 out of four had a history of tick bite and the authors speculated that there may be other ways of sensitization.
While the Australian researchers inferred that the perp is 1 species of tick, they couldn’t prove it as no lab method exists to check! In the U.S. and Europe, researchers confidently blame different ticks as the sole perps despite meat allergies occurring ‘well outside’ the areas populated by these ticks. Researchers have never been able to confirm that something in tick saliva is responsible for AG antibodies.
Lastly, independent tick research has proven the climate has ZERO to do with tick and disease proliferation: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/ There’s huge government money for researchers studying ‘climate change.’
It is far more likely that the spread of ticks and their diseases is due to our very own government doing research stuffing them with multiple pathogens and then releasing them into the environment: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2026/03/06/declassified-docs-link-bioweapon-program-to-lyme-disease/
For far too long we’ve been told ticks don’t exist in certain areas, therefore you can’t be infected, so you won’t be treated. https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/31/no-lyme-in-the-south-guess-again/
Tell that to the mouse, squirrel, bird, fox, reptile, deer, and virtually every other animal, including humans that they can’t cross state borders!
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 